Charlie looked at Mr. Tasha in shock. In his eyes, it was truly difficult to be like Mr. Tasha.
It was hard to accept shock the way he did, to endure circumstances the way he did. He was, honestly, a frightening person.
"I understand. I apologize for bothering you, Mr. Tasha." Charlie said in a low voice, then left.
His mind had begun to drift.
Mr. Tasha watched him calmly, He knew that a kind person like Charlie would never be like him. Even if he lived through the same circumstances, his decisions would be different. Charlie was slightly emotional, while Mr. Tasha did not bind relationships to logic.
What he considered right was right, until something proved otherwise or forced change.
Mr. Tasha moved to his office and looked at the neatly stacked files, He began reviewing them carefully, approving some and reconsidering others.
When he finished, he opened a drawer and took out a file, It was a travel plan.
Yes, Mr. Tasha was going on a journey.
It was a strange decision for someone like him, Years had passed since he last traveled.
But what had he done during all those years?
He had achieved his goals, his ambition had been fierce, until emptiness arrived and devoured the shining sun, turning it into a small point.
What Mr. Tasha had needed in the recent period, when he decided to change and evolve to another level, was to let that small point grow again, slowly and steadily increasing its glow.
And he had succeeded, His decisions were good and progressing well.
He decided that he would see his family from afar upon his return, then focus on the land to build what the children would need, as its time was approaching as well.
Mr. Tasha took out a map and several pictures from the file. Some were famous landmarks, but one picture caught his attention, It was nothing but the sky and clouds.
He desired the sky.
To feel its fierce winds, to see the earth from afar. Freedom.
It was true that Mr. Tasha was free as long as he was responsible, but experiencing freedom while detached from the ground was different. To have no firm footing. What would that feel like?
The only freedom humans had from earth to sky was to jump a few centimeters, then fall back down.
Mr. Tasha thought for a moment, then picked up another picture, It was a hot air balloon.
It was strange how humans associated the sky with freedom, they desired wings, an escape from the earth.
But the truth was that they wanted to escape from themselves, from their lives, from their problems. They were not flexible enough, not good enough... They were not responsible enough to overcome themselves and truly become free.
Mr. Tasha recalled a moment from his youth.
Once, he had been watching a stork. Despite its large wings and its ability to fly great distances, it was responsible.
It built a nest.
It fed its chicks.
It carried its responsibility and returned to the ground.
It was not escaping.
It was free in its own way, by instinct.
…
Mr. Tasha took his lunch break, then prepared a coffee and slowly drank it.
He thought about his journey and its duration. He would spend fifteen days traveling from place to place, whether within the same city or from one country to another.
Though fifteen days were not enough, he could extend the trip.
After finishing his coffee, Mr. Tasha went out and called everyone to the meeting room. He was going to announce his absence.
"Hello everyone. I have news for you. I will be going on a trip for fifteen days, possibly up to a month. During my absence, Charlie will be in charge, so please do your best."
"Mr. Tasha, that's truly a good idea." Charlie was the first to respond.
Their earlier discussion had been shocking, but that did not mean Charlie would remain shaken. He understood Mr. Tasha's way and his manner of dealing with things, so he accepted it.
Charlie was happy, and Mr. Tasha noticed that. Then everyone began to applaud, Mr. Tasha looked at them with slight confusion, then smiled.
His employees were wonderful and strange.
Perhaps they did not realize it, but Mr. Tasha had chosen them carefully and knew they were happy for him.
…
Mr. Tasha returned home, packed his belongings, and booked a first class seat on a flight heading to Switzerland.
The flight would take about two hours, he booked a room in a five star hotel, then went to his kitchen to prepare dinner.
The journey intrigued him, It was not the places themselves that were truly remarkable, but the experience.
Like life.
Life itself was not what made it interesting, but its experiences, its hardships, its challenges.
That was what made life worth living with excitement.
Mr. Tasha finished preparing his meal.
Afterward, he went to his bedroom to sleep.
Tomorrow would be a full day.